Gas-regulator for gas-engines.



E. A. REIN.

GAS REGULATOR FOR GAS ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-21.1915- l 1 99,42 1 Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

IN VE N TOR 20 dilflculties.

Uisrrn srnras iviiroro EDWARD A. REIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-REGULATOR FOR GAS-ENGINES.

Application filed September 21, 1915.

of gas engines to reduce fluctuations in pressure of gas delivered to the engine from the main. Such rubber bags deteriorate rapidly and are easily subject to leakage and have other faults known to users of them.

Other appliances used for a similar purpose are quite complicated or give off the odor of gas, are subject to freezing, or have other disadvantages.

The present invention remedies the above It consists, broadly stated, in a metal gas container or reservoir having thin, flexible side walls with or without a spring to augment the compressive capacity of the walls, a supply opening for gas from the main, a discharge opening for connection to the engine and a spring-actuated checkor reducing-valve intermediate the container and the discharge opening.

The accompanying drawing shows one 80 exemplifying embodiment of the invention,

the best that I have up to the present time devised; but it is to be understood that the invention is capable of embodiment in other forms.

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is a vertical section in a plane perpendicular to Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a horizontal section.

The container in an approved embodiment consists of an edge wall 1 of relatively heavy any suitable way by seaming, soldering or the like. Such structural details are not a part of this invention.

Preferably, although not necessarily in all cases, the side walls are connected sub 60 stantially at the center by a contractile spring 3. This is satisfactory when made of phosphor-bron'ze. I have devised means for putting he spring in position which avoids difliculties that would otherwise be encountered. The ends of the spring, which are in the form of a helix, are connected to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. as, 1916.

Serial No. 51,813.

the stems 4 of buttons 5, the heads whereof lie outside of and are soldered to the walls 2.

The walls are apertured as at 6 to accommodate the stems of the buttons. In assembling, one end of the spring is connected to the stem of one of the buttons and the-other end of the spring is then inserted in one of the holes 6 and the spring is screwed in through the hole until the button and its stem are in proper position as shown in Fig. 3. The other end of the spring is then pulled out through the opposite hole and attached to the stem of the other button; the

spring is then allowed to pull the button into position and that button is secured. Evidently the holes in the side plates 2 need not be as large as the outside diameter of the spring, but only a little larger than the diameter of the wire'of which the spring is composed.

At a suitable place, usually one of the ends of the container, is a fitting F, which conveniently comprises passages for the entrance and exit of gas, and the valve, so that the fitting may be assembled separately from the container and inserted and secured thereto as a unit. 1

The fitting has a body 7 provided with a connection 8 for a gas pipe to supply city gas. The gas enters the container through aperture .9 in edge wall 1. Centrally located in the fitting is tube 10, secured to the fitting at 11. The inner end of this tube is formed into an apertured cage 12, provided with the engine with which it is used, although containers ofa given size will operate suc cessfully with engines of different sizes.

Gas under ordinary pressure fills the container and bulges the side walls 2 somewhat and they because of their own flexibility and aided by the spring 3, exert a yielding pressure upon the gas in the container. The check-valve 1'3 with its suitably proportioned spring 517 exerts a moderate retarding effect upon the gas which goes to the engine through the connection 19 at each stroke. The cubic capacity of the container, its pressure upon the gas, and the retarding and equalizing effect of the check-valve 13, acting together, have been found to very effectively eliminate fluctuations in the supply of gas to the engine and also fiuctuations in pressure at the supply side of the fixture, so that for example, a pilot light connected to the main at the intake side of the regulator is found toburn with great steadiness. It is also found that the appliance economizes gas, indicating that a proper amount ofgas is supplied to the engine at each stroke Without the Waste due to gas inertia effects and other disturbances caused by variations in pressure in the main. At the same time the appliance is very durable, being constructed entirely of metal. The valve 13 and its seat are usually of phosphor-bronze, upon Which gas has no'chemical effect. The container is'practically proof against leakage, but if the side Walls are punctured by an accident they maybe easily repaired by soldering. The appliance will in most cases last for years with practically no attention.

I claim,

1. In a regulator for the purpose described, a metallic container having thin, flexible metal side Walls and supply and discharge connections for gas.

2. In a regulator for the purpose described, a metallic container having thin, flexible, substantially parallel metal sides and supply and discharge connections for gas.

3. In a regulator for the purpose described, a metallic container having thin,

flexible, substantially parallel metal sides, a spring connecting such flexible sides and supply and dischargeconnections for gas.

it. In a regulator for the purpose described, the combination of a metal container having flexible metal Walls, a gas supply opening, a gas discharge opening and a spring-actuated check-valve intermediate the container and said discharge opening.

5. In a regulator for the purpose described, the combination of a metal container having a circumferential Wall and thin, flexible metal side W'alls'and a fitting securedto the circumferential Wall, said fitting comprising a supply connection for gas, a discharge connection, a check-valve opening inthe direction of discharge and a spring urging the valve to seat.

6. In a regulator for the purpose de scribed, the combination of a metal container having a circumferential wall and thin, flexible metal side Walls, a contractile spring connecting the side Walls and a fitting secured to the '-circumferential Wall, said fitting comprising a supply connection for gas, a discharge connection, a checkvalve opening in the direction of discharge and a spring'urgingthe valve toseat.

7.. In a regulator for the purpose described, a container having-side Walls provided with small apertures, headed spring connections having stems passing through the apertures 'and a helical contractile spring connected to said stems, the apertures and spring being adapted to the insertion of the spring by screwing it through one of the? apertures, and supplyand discharge connections for gas.

EDWARD A. REIN.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommiszloner of Yatents, Washington, D. C." 

